Cooling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A cooling apparatus is provided. The cooling apparatus includes a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a warm side, a cool side fin proximate the cool side of the thermoelectric device, a heat side fin proximate the warm side of the thermoelectric device, cool side gas directing means configured to cause a cool gas to be directed through the cool side fin, and warm side gas directing means configured to cause a warm gas to be directed through the heat side fin and away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device. The cooling apparatus may be employed in any warm environment that may benefit from cooled air delivered to a user from a light, efficient package, including but not limited to medical situations and within clothing such as heavy uniforms or helmets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to cooling devices, and more specifically to providing a cooled gas, such as air from the atmosphere, efficiently using a portable, relatively small device.

Description of the Related Art

Cool gas is useful in a variety of situations when people are exposed to high temperatures, including, for example, when wearing heavy clothing such as firefighting uniforms, or in medical emergencies. In these situations, portable devices can be employed, but in either a heavy clothing or medical situation, such devices are best self-contained, including a power source that in some situations must be carried or maintained on the person of a user. A requirement to provide cooling using a remote or heavy power source is unacceptable, as power sources are not always available in the field.

Previous attempts to provide cool gas in these environments, such as providing atmospheric air into a firefighter's uniform or to an affected patient, have included devices comprising a fan or set of fans typically powered by a small battery arrangement blowing atmospheric air to the individual. This is less than optimal when the air being collected from the atmosphere is warm, especially when the air is warmer than body temperature; the result is directing atmospheric temperature air to the individual that can result in either no temperature difference to the user or at worst, an increase in the heat experienced by the user. Simply blowing atmospheric air at the individual is undesirable.

Air conditioning is a technology that requires extensive equipment and is not generally portable, and any need to self-power the device makes it all the more difficult to engineer and transport effectively. In a portable medical situation, the ability to deliver cooling air to a patient in a short amount of time cools the lungs, which cools the blood, and can be at least beneficial and at most lifesaving when administered in a warm environment.

It would therefore be beneficial to provide an air cooling arrangement that addresses issues with previous designs, is light, efficient, portable, and self-contained, including a power source, and provides a person with a gas, such as air, that is cooler than atmospheric air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present design, there is provided a cooling apparatus comprising a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a warm side, a cool side fin proximate the cool side of the thermoelectric device, a heat side fin proximate the warm side of the thermoelectric device, cool side gas directing means configured to cause a cool gas to be directed through the cool side fin, and warm side gas directing means configured to cause a warm gas to be directed through the heat side fin and away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.

According to another aspect of the present design, there is provided a cooling apparatus comprising a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a warm side, a cool side fin proximate the cool side of the thermoelectric device, a heat side fin proximate the warm side of the thermoelectric device, a cool side fan configured to cause a cool gas to be directed through the cool side fin, and a warm side fan configured to cause a warm gas to be directed through the heat side fin and away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.

According to a further aspect of the present design, there is provided a cooling apparatus comprising a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a warm side, a cool side fin proximate the cool side of the thermoelectric device, a cool side fan configured to cause a cool gas to be directed proximate the cool side fin, and a warm side fan configured to cause a warm gas to be directed away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.

These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar items throughout the figures:

FIG. 1 is a generalized representation of a device used in accordance with the present design;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a thermoelectric device usable within the present design;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric device including electrical connections;

FIG. 4 is a view of a first implementation of a cooling design;

FIG. 5 is a second implementation of a cooling design; and

FIG. 6 is a third implementation of a cooling design.

The exemplification set out herein illustrates particular embodiments, and such exemplification is not intended to be construed as limiting in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The following description and the drawings illustrate specific embodiments sufficiently to enable those skilled in the art to practice the system and method described. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, process and other changes. Examples merely typify possible variations. Individual components and functions are generally optional unless explicitly required, and the sequence of operations may vary. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in or substituted for those of others.

The present design is a cooling apparatus that centers around a thermoelectric device and uses unique arrangements of components to efficiently and effectively deliver cool air to a warm environment. While described herein with respect to two main functions, namely delivery of cool air to a patient in a medical situation and delivery of cool air to a user wearing a heavy uniform, such as a firefighter, it is to be understood that the present design is not so limited and may apply to any situation where cool air is desired, particularly when cool air is needed from a light and easily portable arrangement. The present design is intended to be small, efficient, and relatively easy for any person to pack or carry.

FIG. 1 illustrates a general conceptual construction of the device. The device may take different forms and include different components from those shown in FIG. 1, including additional components, but FIG. 1 is a general depiction of the components employed in a medical situation wherein cooled air is to be delivered to a patient. FIG. 1 shows housing 101, hose 102, mask 103, and internal cooling arrangement 104, where internal cooling arrangement 104 includes fan arrangement 105 and thermoelectric device 106. Power supply 107 is shown connected to internal cooling arrangement 104 and typically provides power to both fan arrangement 105 and thermoelectric device 106. A battery, battery pack, or battery arrangement employing multiple batteries may form the power supply 107. Again, the items pictured in FIG. 1 are a general representation, and the position, size, relationship, and items employed may be different from those depicted in FIG. 1.

The design includes a thermoelectric device, a device that generally has low power requirements and produces cooling on an external surface. Such a thermoelectric device is illustrated in part in FIG. 2, which shows negative and positive components, such as N component 201 and P component 202, joined in staggered fashion by electrical conductors such as electrical conductor 203, electrical conductor 204, and so forth. In FIG. 2, N component 201 is joined above to electrical conductor 203 which in turn contacts P component 202. P component 202 also contacts N component 205 but from below via electrical connector 204. Negative connection 206 and positive connection 207 are shown, and this arrangement provides a series circuit that yields, at the top of FIG. 2, a “hot” side, and at the bottom of FIG. 2 a “cold” side using the Peltier effect. A relatively small power source can provide the hot and cool side, i.e. a temperature differential that can be employed in the arrangement of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric device 300 including a two-dimensional matrix or arrangement of N and P components. P type semiconductor 301 and N type semiconductor 302 are shown below upper electrical insulation layer 303, formed of an insulating material such as ceramic, and above lower electrical insulation layer 304, also formed of an insulating material. The various semiconductors are connected via an arrangement of electrical conductors such as electrical conductor 305 in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 2. Negative connection 306 and positive connection 307 are shown, and the top of the thermoelectric device 300 is a cold side while the bottom is the hot side.

FIG. 4 shows a first embodiment according to the present design. From FIG. 4, there is provided thermoelectric device 401 and a cool side fin 402, constructed of a conducting material such as copper and relatively small in size. The cool side fin enables air or gas to pass therethrough, and may include a hollow or open center surrounded by material or materials such as copper. Cool side fin may alternately be a three sided element with an open fourth side, i.e. having the shape of a channel inverted to fit with one side, such as a rear side, in contact with the thermoelectric device 401. The cool side fin 402 is positioned on the cool side adjacent to or abutting thermoelectric device 401. In this embodiment, a low flow, high pressure fan 403 is provided at one side of cool side fin 402 and directs air or gas through cool side fin 402 and toward the target, which may be the inside of heavy clothing or toward a person/patient. In one embodiment the low flow, high pressure fan 403 is a radial blower or fan. While not shown in this view, the gas blown by the low flow, high pressure fan 403 may be directed through a tube or channel toward the target.

On the hot/warm/heat side of the thermoelectric device 401 is heat side fin 404 that is relatively large, and specifically larger than the cool side fin 402. Gas or air may be moved away from the hot side of thermoelectric device 401 using heat side fin 404, and again heat side fin 404 may be constructed of an appropriate material such as copper. Heat side fin 404 is positioned adjacent the hot side of thermoelectric device 401. As with cool side fin 402, it is preferable that material is positioned adjacent thermoelectric device 401 to increase heat flow, and heat side fin 404 may be constructed of an appropriate material, such as copper.

In this arrangement, an axial fan is provided, but any type of device that provides high flow and low pressure may be employed. In general, air or gas is expelled in a direction away from the hot side of the thermoelectric device 401 using high flow, low pressure fan 405, which may be an axial fan or any other such design. The representation of high flow, low pressure fan 405 is an axial fan in FIG. 4. Multiple such fans can be provided, axially aligned or not, each working toward moving warmer air away from the hot side of thermoelectric device 401.

In this arrangement, hotter air provided on the hot side of thermoelectric device 401 is moved away from the thermoelectric device 401, and movement of air away from the hot surface tends to increase overall efficiency of the thermoelectric device and enables cooler air to be provided to the person. The presence of the cool side fin 402 produces a cooler environment for directing air through from low flow, high pressure fan 403, again increasing overall efficiency. The result of such a design is cooler air being provided to the individual, specifically cooler than had been available using previous designs. Once expelled, air can be directed in any manner desired to an individual, such as to an individual in a medical situation or to a wearer of a uniform or heavy clothing. Any other situation that would employ cooling air or gas may use the design presented and the design is not limited to the environments discussed herein. In a situation where a heavy outfit is worn by a person and the present design provided, one embodiment would be to expel air or gas using high flow, low pressure fan 405 out to atmosphere, i.e. in an arrangement where the outer edge or outermost portion of the uniform is adjacent to or proximate or even partially covering the topmost part of high flow, low pressure fan 405 in this view, or the uniform is constructed in any manner such that the air or gas provided by high flow, low pressure fan 405 is expelled to the atmosphere.

Output from cool side fin 402 may be sent to a tube or into a uniform, and arrangements may be made to dissipate the air or gas provided, such as a network of passages directing cool air to various locations in the uniform. In essence, any arrangement directing cool air received from low flow, high pressure fan 403 toward the target in a desired manner may be employed.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate arrangement according to the present design. From FIG. 5, there is provided thermoelectric device 501 abutted by cool side fin 502 on the cool side of thermoelectric device 501 and heat side fin 504 on the hot side of thermoelectric device 501. In this embodiment, a low flow, high pressure fan 503 is provided adjacent the heat side fin 504, and an optional high flow, low pressure fan 505, such as an axial fan, is provided adjacent the heat side fin 504. In this arrangement, low flow, high pressure fan 503 may be a radial blower that directs air or gas through heat side fin 504 and expels air or gas from the device or region. Use of both low flow, high pressure fan 503 and high flow, low pressure fan 505 increases the flow of gas or air over the hot side of thermoelectric device 501, increasing efficiency of the device. Again, the size of heat side fin 504 is typically larger in physical size than cool side fin 502.

In this embodiment, air or gas is received from the left side of cool side fin 502 in this view and is drawn from the right side of cool side fin 502 in this view. The cooler air passes to the user, such as through the user's clothing, helmet, or other device, shown as element 506 in FIG. 5, by being drawn from the inlet through the cool side fin 502 by low flow, high pressure fan 503. Low flow, high pressure fan 503 has an inlet connected to the user's clothing 506 (uniform, helmet, etc.) and the drawing of air or gas from the user's clothing 506 causes the drawing of cooler air from cool side fin 502. In this manner, hotter air is drawn to low flow, high pressure fan 503, e.g. a radial blower, and cooler air is drawn from cool side fin 502 on the cool side of thermoelectric device 501. Even air or gas a few degrees warmer that is drawn out from user's clothing 506 than air or gas drawn from cool side fin 502 can have a benefit to the user in providing a cooler and more comfortable environment. And again, air provided by low flow, high pressure fan 503 and optional high flow, low pressure fan 505 can increase the efficiency of thermoelectric device operation.

FIG. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of the present design. Thermoelectric device 601 includes a cool side and a hot side, and cool side fin 602 and hot side fin 604 are shown. Again, cool side fin 602 is smaller in size than hot side fin 604, and each is made of an appropriate material, including but not limited to copper or some other metal or alloy. In this embodiment low flow, high pressure fan 603 is provided adjacent to cool side fin 602 and directs air or gas to user clothing 606 (again, any appropriate device or apparatus, including but not limited to a uniform or helmet) and then air or gas is directed back to low flow, high pressure fan 503, here a radial blower but any appropriate fan or air/gas source may be used. This circular system tends to take cool air from the cool side fin 602 and pass it to the user and take warmer air from the user clothing 506 and pass this warmer air to radial blower 603. The user is of course a source of heat and the air inside his or her clothing will be higher than cooled air cooled by passing over the cool side of thermoelectric device 601, via cool side fin 602.

Heat side fin 604 in this embodiment is similar to that shown in FIG. 4, where air or gas is drawn away from thermoelectric device 601 via heat side fin 604 using at least one high flow, low pressure fan 605 such as an axial fan or arrangement of axial fans. In this arrangement, such as was discussed with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 4, warmer air generated by thermoelectric device 601 on its hot side is received by heat side fin 604 and the resultant warmer air is expelled using high flow, low pressure fan 605. This increases the efficiency of the overall system, particularly the thermoelectric device 601. Shown in this view is an additional drain system, which is optional, which may be used to drain moisture or other undesirable resultant production. In this view, as with the other designs presented, the axial fan can be arranged to expel air or gas to atmosphere, i.e. to the outside of the clothing.

The result of such a design is a low power, high efficiency arrangement that can provide cool air to a user, in a medical situation for example, or to a user wearing heavy equipment (firefighting, military, etc.) The system realizes increased efficiency by the beneficial placement of cooling apparatus around a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a hot/heat/warm side. The design is relatively light and portable, may be deployed in the field without need for an electrical connection, though if desired one may be provided, and cool air may be passed to a medical patient or to a person wearing hot and/or heavy clothing or equipment, such as a uniform.

Thus according to one embodiment, there is provided a cooling apparatus comprising a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a warm side, a cool side fin proximate the cool side of the thermoelectric device, a heat side fin proximate the warm side of the thermoelectric device, cool side gas directing means configured to cause a cool gas to be directed through the cool side fin, and warm side gas directing means configured to cause a warm gas to be directed through the heat side fin and away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.

According to a further embodiment, there is provided a cooling apparatus comprising a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a warm side, a cool side fin proximate the cool side of the thermoelectric device, a heat side fin proximate the warm side of the thermoelectric device, a cool side fan configured to cause a cool gas to be directed through the cool side fin, and a warm side fan configured to cause a warm gas to be directed through the heat side fin and away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.

According to a further embodiment, there is provided a cooling apparatus comprising a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a warm side, a cool side fin proximate the cool side of the thermoelectric device, a cool side fan configured to cause a cool gas to be directed proximate the cool side fin, and a warm side fan configured to cause a warm gas to be directed away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.

The foregoing description of specific embodiments reveals the general nature of the disclosure sufficiently that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt the system and method for various applications without departing from the general concept. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. The phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooling apparatus comprising: a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a warm side; a cool side fin proximate the cool side of the thermoelectric device; a heat side fin proximate the warm side of the thermoelectric device; cool side gas directing means configured to cause a cool gas to be directed through the cool side fin; and warm side gas directing means configured to cause a warm gas to be directed through the heat side fin and away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.
 2. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cool side gas directing means directs the cool gas parallel to the cool side of the thermoelectric device and the warm side gas directing means directs the warm gas perpendicular to the warm side of the thermoelectric device.
 3. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat side fin is larger than the cool side fin.
 4. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cool side gas directing means comprises a low flow, high pressure fan.
 5. The cooling apparatus of claim 4, wherein the low flow, high pressure fan comprises a radial blower fan configured to direct the cool gas parallel to the cool side of the thermoelectric device.
 6. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the warm side gas directing means comprises a high flow, low pressure fan.
 7. The cooling apparatus of claim 6, wherein the high flow, low pressure fan comprises an axial fan configured to direct the air gas perpendicular to and away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.
 8. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling apparatus is configured to direct cooled air to a medical patient.
 9. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a portable power source configured to power the thermoelectric device, the cool side gas directing means, and the warm side gas directing means.
 10. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein gas received from the cool side fin is provided within clothing worn by a user.
 11. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein gas received from the cool side fin is directed to a patient.
 12. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein cool gas received from the cool side fin is directed to a user region and cycled back to the cool side gas directing means.
 13. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cool side gas directing means comprises a fan configured to draw user warmed gas from clothing worn by a user, the clothing worn by the user configured to draw the cool gas from the cool side fin and from a gas inlet.
 14. A cooling apparatus comprising: a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a warm side; a cool side fin proximate the cool side of the thermoelectric device; a heat side fin proximate the warm side of the thermoelectric device; a cool side fan configured to cause a cool gas to be directed through the cool side fin; and a warm side fan configured to cause a warm gas to be directed through the heat side fin and away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.
 15. The cooling apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cool side fan directs the cool gas parallel to the cool side of the thermoelectric device and the warm side fan directs the warm gas perpendicular to the warm side of the thermoelectric device.
 16. The cooling apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cool side fan comprises a radial blower fan configured to direct the cool gas parallel to the cool side of the thermoelectric device.
 17. The cooling apparatus of claim 14, wherein the warm side fan comprises an axial fan configured to direct the air gas perpendicular to and away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.
 18. A cooling apparatus comprising: a thermoelectric device having a cool side and a warm side; a cool side fin proximate the cool side of the thermoelectric device; a cool side fan configured to cause a cool gas to be directed proximate the cool side fin; and a warm side fan configured to cause a warm gas to be directed away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device.
 19. The cooling apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cool side fan directs the cool gas parallel to the cool side of the thermoelectric device and the warm side fan directs the warm gas perpendicular to the warm side of the thermoelectric device.
 20. The cooling apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cool side fan comprises a radial blower fan configured to direct the cool gas parallel to the cool side of the thermoelectric device.
 21. The cooling apparatus of claim 18, wherein the warm side fan comprises an axial fan configured to direct the air gas perpendicular to and away from the warm side of the thermoelectric device. 